Powerless

YES,

the heat is getting to us, frying our skins and pocketbooks. You need cooling from electric fans and airconditioners, and yet energy that brings down temperatures pushes up your electric bill.

Check out these headlines. March 8 – Meralco rates up by 9 centavos/kwh in March billing

March 9 – Power spot prices soar after yellow alerts

March 9 – PSALM starts sale process for Napocor’s QC property

April 1 – PSALM to collect P12.5 billion from consumers

April 6 – Meralco rates going up in April billing

The more painful headlines: March 8 – Murang Kuryente bill okayed

March 8 – Bill lowering power pass-on charges hailed

April 8 – DOE to name “profiteering Gencos’ in WESM

Why painful? Because, years and years before Murang Kuryente would electrify us with its promise of cheaper electricity, we were duped into thinking that ERC, PSALM, EPIPA, National Grid, Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, Independent Power Producers, and a whole slew of related agencies were created to work together for our benefit by bringing down power costs. Truth was, we were powerless to refuse them and their promises, then as now, current-ly speaking.

PSALM, which lost billions which they are now passing on to us (see April 1 headline), is in the process of selling its 5.1 ha. property, also known as the National Power Corp. complex, “in preparation for its eventual privatization.” The sale of such a valuable piece of real estate in Diliman with its shade trees and greenery is to make the agency look good from an accountant’s point of view, by collecting billions from dissatisfied consumers to add to the income column in its ledgers.

“Murang kuryente?” Cheaper electricity? Tell it to the marines. Or, do as Cory did: Abolish the Department of Energy.